A Rose In Winter
by Johnnyboy Curtis
Summary: A stranger stops by the hospital to see Johnny.  And gives him the gift of life.  But what will he do with this newfound like of his? Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I came up with this idea while I was spacing out, and I though you guys might enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Outsiders**_**.**

The lights were dim in the small hospital. Glowing lamps on the desk were the only source of light other than the lamps that sat in the rooms. The last doctor checked out for the night, leaving the old receptionist alone beside the other patients in the hospital. Her old glasses sat perched upon her nose, connected to a silver chain that adorned her neck. Her head lay bent over some paperwork and that day's newspaper. Apparently three boys from the hood had saved some kids from a burning church. Two of the boys were in this hospital. One made it out with minimal injuries.

She sighed. The darker-skinned one was hurt badly, according to the doctors who stood by her desk. She had also heard the mother, who had come to see him, storm out of the hospital. She must've been a real piece of work to act like that while her son was lying in his room. Reaching for her special pen, she accidentally knocked over the whole basket she had of them. Groaning, she reached down to pick them up, not noticing the figure that walked passed. By the time she had gotten up, the figure had already reached the end of the hallway.

Pulling back the hood, the figure revealed the pale white face of a girl. She was no more than sixteen years old. She quickly entered the room labeled **20, **shutting the door quietly behind her. As she turned around, her eyes lay upon the patient before her. The dark skin was lined with blackened skin, the edges around them inflated. His dark hair was matted and half greased, sticking out at odd angles. The lamp beside him showed a long scar that stretched from his check to the tip of his eyebrow, making him seem a lot older than he really was.

Striding to the far corner of the room, she grabbed the wheelchair that sat there, wheeling it to the bed. She sat down in it and began to rub her hands together. She had gone over the plan in her head, had practiced the stuff she needed to execute this plan, and to work with the consequences. She was stronger than him, and could take the pain. She stopped rubbing, placed her hands on the hand of the patient, and closed her eyes.

Strands of green and yellow light began to swirl around both of them. The green light ran up the patient's arm, bouncing off the burns and blemishes. The burns began to disappear, the bloated skin flattening into the new dark skin. The patient became engulfed in green light, his whole body glowing.

The yellow light swirled around the girl, and had the opposite effect. The smooth, pale skin began to darken, the skin around the darkness swelling. Her neck became black and pink, though she could feel none of this. She, too, became engulfed in yellow light.

Slowly, the green and yellow lights moved to the lower portion of their bodies. The girl began to lose feeling in her feet. Her legs. Her lower back. The light began to fade away, and slowly the girl's eyes opened again. She felt tired, blackness threatening at her eyes. She saw the new patient, and smiled. Her work was done.

Wheeling herself slowly to the door, she turned. With a withered voice, she croaked, "Goodbye, Johnny Cade. And good luck."

The door shut silently behind her.

**So, what do ya think? Please review! I might continue the story if you do!**

**~Johnnyboy Curtis**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**The Outsiders**_**.**

Nobody could explain what happened. The doctors took so many tests it made Johnny's head spin, but they still couldn't figure out how he'd healed so fast. Each and every mark that had been on his skin was gone. The night before, doctors had been almost certain little Johnny Cade wouldn't survive. However, when dawn came, all of the tests given indicated that Johnny was in perfect health. Johnny was just as bewildered. He'd remembered his nurse coming in and telling him his mother was there to see him before he passed out. When he woke, he felt as good as new. He could speak normally again and didn't have to lie on his stomach.

When Dallas came by to see him as soon as the doctors would allow, he'd made another discovery. The scar on his face from when Bob and his gang had attacked him was gone, leaving smooth skin in its place. He felt his face in shock. Dallas was equally as awed and gave Johnny a slight hug, something he'd never do under other circumstances.

"Told you everything would be ok, didn't I Johnny? The doctors didn't think so, but you sure showed them."

Johnny chuckled slightly.

"Yeah. Guess I did."

Dallas left to go rally the rest of the gang. Johnny was excited to see them, especially Ponyboy. The younger boy had stuck with him through thick and thin, leaving Johnny with a new sense of compassion for the now blonde boy.

"Johnny?"

He looked up to see the nurse come back, a smile on her face.

"While you have to stay here at the hospital until the doctors finish their testing, I'm sure they won't mind if you walk around a bit. You've been lying around and I'm sure you'll want to use your legs."

Johnny smiled his first real smile in a long time.

"I'd like that. Thank you, ma'am."

The nurse chuckled and walked back down the hall. Johnny shifted out of his blankets and lightly set his bare feet on the floor. The floor was cool, but Johnny relished the feeling as he placed more weight on his sleeping legs. He worked himself around the bed until he could stand properly and made his way out the door.

Glancing along the halls, he turned and headed down the rows of rooms, looking into each to see all of the patients. On man had just come out of surgery for his heart. Another was sick with cancer. On and on the cases went until he came to a seemingly empty room the end of the hall. Figuring the nurse wouldn't mind since it was empty, he tiptoed inside, peering around at the empty beds. He found himself at the window and got a good look at the city. Living in a small suburb, he found himself staring in awe at the tall buildings around him.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Johnny jumped at the croaky voice behind him. Turning, he spotted a girl in wheel chair next to one of the beds. Her body was covered in heavy burn marks and an oxygen tank hung from her nose. However, what drew the most attention was the scar line running from her cheek to her eyebrow. It looked exactly like the one he'd has only hours ago. She smiled at him with tired eyes as she spoke, "I'm sorry for scaring you. I should have made my presence known sooner."

Johnny continued to stare. A wave of realization washed over him as he stuttered, "Y-y-you have all of my injuries and my scar. H-h-how is that even….."

The girl laughed lightly.

"Johnny, lots of things seem a little unreal at times. That fact that we choose to accept them makes them become real."

"But how did you even get all of them?"

"If I told you, you'd never believe me. I'll leave that to your imagination."

But Johnny still had questions.

"But you'll die! The doctors weren't even sure that I was going to live!"

"Ah, but my body is stronger and more protected than yours. I'm sure I'll pull through in the end."

"But why would you even do this at all? You don't know me and I sure as hell don't know you."

Another smile.

"Let's just call it the act of a Good Samaritan. After all, it's not every day a young man becomes a hero."

Johnny blushed a little at that. His head jerked towards the door as he heard Two-Bit calling his name, presumably with the rest of the gang. He looked back at the girl.

"Thank you. For everything."

"My pleasure, Mr. Johnny Cade. Now go to your gang. They seem to need you more than I. Besides, I need to rest."

Johnny smiled and walked towards the door. He turned to face the girl one last time.

"Will I ever see you again?"

The girl shrugged.

"Anything's possible. Probably not for a while, though."

"Can I at least know your name, then?"

"Just think of me as a concerned party. Now go. Don't want to keep them waiting."

Johnny smiled one last time before he left to celebrate with the rest of the gang, and as he left, he was sure he heard laughter behind him.

**A/N: I'm back! I apologize for the LONG hiatus, but I'm making it up to you with a continuation of this story. This story could end here, but I have one last part planned out if you all would wish me to keep going. Just let me know with reviews. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and read the story. I love you guys.**

**~Johnnyboy Curtis**


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